


This Time Around

by imaginess



Series: Parenthood [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Grandmother Maryse, Heart-to-Heart, Husbands, Immortality, M/M, Magnus loves Alec more than anyone ever, Malec, Marriage, Maryse is not evil, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 18:50:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14599443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginess/pseuds/imaginess
Summary: Magnus asks Maryse for parenting advice. She learns that he is new to having a family.**Oneshot, can be read apart from the series**





	This Time Around

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after Rafael comes into our boys’ lives—the story of how that happens is in the works!

Alec was at the Institute with Rafael. Until all the necessary paperwork went through, the Clave wouldn’t allow them to take him home. It had been a hard fight, but it looked like any day now that they could officially bring him into their family.

“Two boys under six, do you think it’s doable?” Magnus asked, sitting on the sofa across from his mother-in-law, drink in hand.

Maryse had surprised Magnus with dinner for him and Max, and they had just gotten the three-year-old to bed.

Maryse chuckled and raised her glass of red towards him. “I’m sure the great Magnus Bane has faced bigger challenges.”

The warlock returned the toast with a smile. “You know, I’m not sure I have.” He took a sip of his whiskey. “I suppose I’ll come out of this a better man. If I come out of it at all, that is.”

Maryse’ expression turned thoughtful as she studied the immortal.

“You have...done this before, yes?”

Magnus placed his glass in the palm of his other hand, pausing for a moment before admitting “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

Maryse swirled her wine glass around out of habit. “Had a family.” she clarified after a moment. “Kids, a wife perhaps?”

The warlock faltered, not quite knowing how to react. Maryse was studying him, expression open and honest.

“Alec and I...he hasn’t told me anything.” She assured him calmly. “I only assumed-“

“No.” Magnus found himself saying.

Maryse looked genuinely surprised. “Oh.” she said, and after a pause, “Sorry, I only figured, from what I know of your past relations…”

Magnus was still a little thrown by the question, but had to smile at his mother-in-law’s implication. No matter how well they may get along, or how well he treated her son, the woman would always think of him as a bit of a man-whore.

“Yes, well, I am sterile, Maryse.”

She seemed to find his bluntness mildly distasteful, shaking her head quickly. “I am aware of that.”

Magnus chuckled a little under his breath, and both of them took a slow drink.

Magnus spoke after a moment of thought, “I suppose I haven’t made it very clear to you before, but Alexander is...different.”

Maryse raised an eyebrow as if to say Really?.

“I’ve never married, before him.” he informed her. Maryse looked interested at this revelation. “I always told myself I wouldn’t at all. Until your son came along.”

“You’ve never settled down before? Not once?” she asked.

The warlock leaned back, “I wouldn’t say...it’s not that I’ve never been committed to someone. I’ve spent half my life in serious relationships.” he confessed. “But with Alec I wanted to...I wanted to make it more than that. And then Max came along...and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be in this with.”

Maryse sat back as well, looking surprised and maybe a little impressed. “I’m sorry, Magnus. I didn’t know any of that.”

Magnus laughed openly, “I’m not surprised that you had your own assumptions. I don’t think it’s common to wait six hundred years before starting a family.”

Maryse hummed and nodded, taking a drink from her near-empty glass. “So this is your first...family.” she stated thoughtfully, eyes on her glass.

“My only family.”

That got the Nephilim’s attention, as her eyes flicked up to meet his.

“You might live for two hundred years after we’re all gone. How can you say for sure?”

“If you lived for two hundred more years would you want to start over? Have another family?”

Maryse thought about it and when she came to the same realization as him, only nodded in understanding.

Both of them finished their drinks, and Maryse stood to leave.

“Let me walk you out.” Magnus suggested, and followed his son’s grandmother to the door.

When Maryse made it into the hallway she turned back to the warlock, expression serious.

“I know you’re a good man, Magnus. I’m...I’m sorry if I’ve ever indicated otherwise.”

The High Warlock had never sought approval from Alec’s mother, but receiving it meant more to him than he had ever expected it would. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> This fic was edited by Patricia_Sage. She writes excellent, in-character oneshots that you all need to read.


End file.
